Some cars are competent, others memorable. The 2025 Subaru BRZ tS is unforgettable.

The BRZ had me making excuses to go for a drive. I drove it 400 miles in one day, all on the backroads. I couldn’t get enough of the experience.

Subaru and Toyota jointly developed the car, and the BRZ benefits from that collaboration. The Toyota version is called the GR86. The car is built with the combined engineering expertise from each company via a healthy serving from both company’s parts bins. But it leans heavily on Subaru running gear.

Inside is Toyota switch gear and under the hood is Subaru’s 2.4-liter naturally aspirated boxer engine. The engine is mounted low, drives the rear wheels and is coupled to a six-speed manual. It’s a simple 2+2 sports coupe with a performance focus.

Styling

The BRZ has styling with purpose. The design telegraphs athleticism. The designers at Subaru and Toyota may be pleased to hear a friend confused the BRZ for a Porsche. In my friend’s defense, the BRZ shares similar classic lines.

A proper sports car should have two doors, and the BRZ wears them well. The long, wide doors make the car easier to live with, and the profile looks better. The sheet metal isn’t interrupted by pillars and panel gaps.

The BRZ isn’t a sedan or an SUV pretending to be a sports coupe. In pure form, it’s a purpose-built driver’s car.

Comfort and Convenience

The surprise inside the BRZ tS is that it fits real humans. I’m 6’3” and had plenty of shoulder and knee room, with enough leg room to stretch out. The sport seats represent a near ideal compromise: bolstered with a balance between comfort and holding an occupant firmly in place. There’s thigh support and the bolsters don’t inhibit ingress and egress. They’re big, comfortable seats, and more comfortable than the Recaros in the WRX tS.

Headroom is generous too—helmet-friendly. It’s important because buyers may end up wearing a helmet driving. It begs for track days and autocross.

The back seat is a joke. In the tradition of 2+2 sports coupes, the back seat won’t be comfortable for anyone but Peter Dinklage, and even that’s questionable. Subaru should stop pretending it’s a four-passenger car. Just give us a parcel shelf and let us drive in the HOV lane.

Ergonomics and Oddities

In the spirit of function first, creature comforts take a back seat in the BRZ (with Peter Dinklage). The two cup holders are behind your elbow. There’s no obvious place for a phone (though the door pockets worked well enough for me). The charge ports are in the back seat by the cup holders. Also odd, the charging ports are USB-A. There’s also an old-school aux jack. It feels like it’s 1995 in the BRZ.

The stereo is… fine. Bluetooth works well and there’s a subwoofer, so it isn’t bad. The presets and interface look as dated as the aux jack. The good news: Most buyers won’t choose a BRZ tS for the stereo. It will likey be off most of the time because the cabin is too noisy and the emphasis is on performance driving.

One quirk: The turn-signal stalk always returns to neutral after its activated. It doesn’t cancel the normal way. On several occasions I drove for miles with my signal on. When I noticed, I felt like somebody’s grandpa. I couldn’t hear the clicking because the cabin is so loud.
One plus: A manual handbrake and a smooth short-throw shifter. Who needs cup holders?

Behind the Wheel

This is where the BRZ tS shines. It weighs about 2,800 pounds, and it feels light and nimble. Weight changes everything. The car is agile in the way modern heavy vehicles can’t be, no matter how many drive modes OEMs conjure. The steering has a slight dead spot on center that’s most noticeable on the interstate, but once past it, the response is immediate and satisfying.

I drove the BRZ tS enthusiastically and never found its limit on public roads. The Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires (the same rubber I run on my Camaro) sticks hard. To safely explore this car’s limits you need a track. I’d love to take it there.

As the BRZ approaches the limit, it wants to understeer, which is predictable and confidence-inspiring. The overall experience is like riding a roller coaster you control. It’s addictive.
The coupe benefits from a simple design: A light, stiff, solid roof. No sunroof. No removable panels. The result is zero discernible body flex. Structural rigidity is excellent.

The tS also benefits from Hitachi active dampers, which contribute to its super-flat handling. Is it more fun than a Miata? I think so. The Miata’s steering is better, and I love topless motoring, but the BRZ responds with superior rigidity. The car just takes a set and goes.

Powertrain

Power comes from Subaru’s 2.4-liter naturally aspirated boxer engine making 228 horsepower and revving to 7,500 rpm. It makes 184 pound-feet of torque at around 3,700 rpm and feels punchy.

Subaru’s horizontally opposed architecture allows the engine to be mounted low in the chassis, improving the center of gravity. The tS is also rear-drive only, which reduces weight and complexity. The normally aspirated engine further reduces mass and improves reliability.

Refinement

The BRZ tS is noisy. It has minimal sound deadening inside, and noise control is poor. Presumably this saves weight, but it gets old quickly. I heard the tires constantly, a hollow roar. It’s louder than some race cars. Wind noise, interestingly, is well hushed. The frameless windows use indexing glass that seals into the weatherstrip channel. I didn’t hear much wind intrusion. But between the engine, tires and road noise, cancelling earbuds are recommended.

Then there’s Subaru’s “Active Sound Creator.” It always plays an enhanced exhaust note through the stereo speakers. The sound effect may be useful with a helmet on at the track, but on the street, an off switch is desired.

Driver assistance is another annoyance. Subaru’s EyeSight provides adaptive cruise and safety features. It’s useful, but overzealous. Lane departure warnings chime when they shouldn’t. Collision warnings “cry wolf” in normal traffic and it’s counterproductive. 

Affordability

Fuel economy is respectable. The EPA estimate is 20 miles per gallon in city driving, 27 mpg on the highway. I averaged about 26.4 mpg. The BRZ tS has an MSRP of $36,465 including destination. Most vehicles in the market are heavy, expensive, and increasingly disconnected from driving feel. Something rare is BRZ tS. It’s a focused, rear-drive, manual sports coupe with race car chassis tuning and performance tires. It’s a sports car bargain.

The Verdict

The 2025 Subaru BRZ tS is an experience. It’s light, agile, structurally rigid and addictive. The Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires deliver serious grip, the dampers keep it flat, the engine loves to rev. The package practically begs for a track day.

It also has flaws: it’s loud inside, the “Active Sound Creator” needs an off switch, EyeSight is annoying, the rear seat is a joke. But neither are deal breakers. The BRZ tS just beckons driving enthusiastically on the backroads.

Visit: Subaru.com/vehicles/brz

_{Cover photo: Subaru BRZ tS – Photo Copyright © John Berg 2026}